Category Archives: Movies

“I don’t think you go to a play to forget, or to a movie to be distracted. I think life generally is a distraction and that going to a movie is a way to get back, not go away.” — Tom Noonan

It’s Tom Noonan’s birthday. He just died last year, a huge loss. Most well-known for playing supernatural-style “heavies” in movies such as Manhunter and Robocop 2, he got his start in the 1960s experimental theatre scene in New York City, … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Directors, Movies, On This Day, Theatre | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Review: Hamlet (2026)

Perfect timing, what with my Shakespeare reading project and all. Riz Ahmed plays Hamlet in a new – and streamlined – version of the script, taking place in present-day London among the South Asian community. I reviewed for Ebert.

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

“I prefer a national film to an international film.” — Jean-Paul Belmondo

It’s his birthday today. I wrote about him on my Substack.     Thank you so much for stopping by. If you like what I do, and if you feel inclined to support my work, here’s a link to my … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

“I never wanted to be this famous. I never imagined this life for myself.” — Kristen Stewart

It’s her birthday today. “Really, I’m incredibly disjointed and not candid. Just in general, my thoughts tend to come out in little spurts that don’t necessarily connect. If you hang around long enough, you can find the linear path. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged , | 7 Comments

“There won’t be another Bette Davis. There can’t be.” Mitchell and I discuss Bette Davis

From the audio files: Mitchell and I discuss one of our favorite topics: acting, and how the “old” style of acting – let’s call it before what’s loosely known as the Method- is not only under-appreciated in certain circles (most … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged , , , | 25 Comments

“I’d marry again if I found a man who had fifteen million dollars, would sign over half to me and guarantee that he’d be dead within a year.” — Bette Davis

“I was thought to be ‘stuck up’. I wasn’t. I was just sure of myself. This is and always has been an unforgivable quality to the unsure.” It’s her birthday today. First up: For Film Comment, I wrote a piece … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged , | 37 Comments

In the Criterion Closet

This one’s been a long time coming! My friend, the great Kim Morgan, goes into the Criterion Closet. (If you’re not aware of what this is, “Closet Picks” is a series hosted by the Criterion Collection where celebrities, directors, artists, … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged | 2 Comments

In Memory of Roger Ebert: Michael, Roger & Me

Roger Ebert died 13 years ago today. I wrote about him and how he reached out to me a couple of months before he died and how it coincided exactly with the other Great Event in my life in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, On This Day, Personal | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Review: Living the Land (2026)

What a beautiful movie. Living the Land takes place in a small village in the Henan province. Although the year is 1991, modernity has not touched the place. There’s intermittent electricity but the people still harvest the wheat by hand, … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“The only thing an actor owes his public is not to bore them.” — Marlon Brando

“Sending Marlon Brando to acting class was like sending a tiger to jungle school.” – Stella Adler “You can’t always be a failure. Not and survive. Van Gogh! There’s an example of what can happen when a person never receives … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day | Tagged , , | 38 Comments